Angel Eyes
by desiderium
Summary: Another ancient struggle for domination over Gaia begins. Hitome must face her past and choose a future between Van and Allen.
1. Chapter 1

_I just started displaying my works on fanficion, and I'm a little nervous about showing everyone my stories, but I promise to try my best to make my stories worthwhile. Anyway, my first story is a twist of Escaflowne. I really loved the anime series, but I've changed a couple of things just to suit my imagination. The main thing is that Hitome will be completely different. She'll look different and have a different background, but I'll still keep some of her character traits. So hope you enjoy it! _

Chapter 1

The gnarly grip of death refused to loosen around her throat. She gulped ravenously the icy water sent from the heavens, but the pelting rain could not cleanse the stench of death. Her gown clung to her body, jerking with the shivers that convulsed through her body. Strangely, she could still spy two pearly white moons through the tumultuous thunderclouds, competing for the domain of the sky. A single streak of light trespassed the ominous clouds and glittered around her. Yet even the light was swallowed by the darkness of the endless abyss in front of her.

A streak of lightening split the ground beneath her feet, but she did not flinch. The cliff shuddered with the rolling thunder, threatening to shatter into a million pieces. She wasn't waiting for fate to time her death; for once she wanted to be in control. Spreading her arms, she dived into the black void beyond the cliff, waiting for the bony fingers of death to lead her to her dead parents.

Death wasn't painful.

The angel lifted her up in a flutter of glowing white wings. She recognized him to be the same angel that stole the breath of her parents. Perhaps the moons were their destination for they were ascending beyond the reach of all forms birds and men.

_

* * *

__Angels are beautiful_, she noted drowsily. She stared into a pair of eyes reflecting the bluest color of the skies. They returned her gaze softly. 

Their unspoken connection was broken by a shrill voice at the door. "Lemme see, lemme see, what's she like? Is she like they described?"

A curious pair of eyes popped in front of the angels. Cat ears twitched with curiosity upon a human face. "Wow, she's pretty," the cat girl reached out as if to poke the raven-haired girl lying frigid on the bed.

"Achoo!"

"AHHHH!" the cat girl retreated with revolt. "She sneezed on me, she sneezed on me," she glared at the exhausted girl repulsively.

"Quiet Merle," the angel commanded, "leave so we can talk."

"Let me stay, I wanna hear the story too," Merle begged, eyeing the angel imploringly.

"Only if I do not hear a single sound from you."

Merle shook her head fervently, her hands sealed tightly over her lips.

Too surprised to speak, the girl surveyed the scene meekly. Could this be heaven? If this was heaven, why did every limb in her body throb with a pain of a million needles? But the fair-headed man with penetrating blue eyes resembled very much like an angel. His long blond hair fell-over his delicate bone structure, a benign smile rested upon his lips.

"We cannot afford to wait to hear your story. I apologize for the rude manner in which I intruded upon your recovery. But what happened to your kingdom was atrocious, and the similar attacks on other kingdoms are equally outrageous. You are the sole survivor of these raids and we need to hear your recount," the man explained. He waited patiently for her to reply.

"W-who are you? W-where…" she choked.

"I did not think my identity matters, but if it offers you any comfort, my name is Allen Schezar, a Knight of Asturia," he replied kindly.

"Austuria, it sounds familiar," the girl pondered.

"You and your family have visited our fair country."

"M-my family…." The images of the murders flashed through her memory, but she could not hold on to them. "They're…" the girl attempted to explain, but the words were caught in her throat.

"Yes, we know they are deceased," Allen prompted gently, "but if you could tell us what happened…."

The girl squeezed her eyes shut, trying to bring back the flittering memories. "I don't remember anything, I'm sorry."

Allen nodded thoughtfully, "That's to be expected. Do you know who you are?" The girl shook her head weakly.

"Hitome Kanzaki," Allen simply stated.

The girl stared at him blankly, something stirred in her memory.

"That's you silly," Merle couldn't help but burst. Allen shot her an amused look. "Sorry," she quickly added.

"Maybe I should tell you what we know. The third most powerful kingdom in all of Gaea, Illiad, belonged to Lord Kanzaki, your father." When recognition did not register in Hitome's face, he continued. "Two nights ago it was ravaged, burned to the ground, every living soul savagely murdered. Some, we suspect, were taken as slaves. There is talk of a man known as Dilandu, who leads his army in a floating castle called Zaibach. He may have initiated the attack of nearing a dozen kingdoms to date. We do not believe he is expanding his domain, but rather, he is destroying every piece of land that he does not own. We do not know his true reasons behind these attacks; greed may be the underlying factor, as it is in all wars. Unfortunately, very soon, they will make an advance for Austuria, which remains the most powerful kingdom in this time. Once they have gathered a sizeable army, they will no doubt test the strength of our kingdom. This is an attack we must prepare for, and your experience may be crucial to our survival."

But Hitome could do nothing but stare at him quizzically. Her mind was a black hole, sucking every detail of her past into a void of no return. Allen studied her face for a few more moments. He found her breathtakingly stunning, but sorrow has touched every feature of her fragile face and left its fingerprints. He reached out his thumb to wipe away a trace of tear lingering at the corner of her emerald eyes. Her heart-shaped lips were turned down at the corners in an eternal sigh. He wondered what she saw that forced her to lock away every single memory.

There was a knock at the door. A young soldier poked his head in cautiously. "Lord Schezar?"

"Yes?" Allen's attention was still focused on the pale girl sunk into the folds of the bed.

"There is a man here to see you. He would not tell us his name, but he says its urgent," the soldier reported.

"How did he get past the guards?"

"Um…" the soldier hesitated before sputtering, "they seem to have lost consciousness."

A look of intrigue swept across his face. "Hmm…" he stood up to leave, "Merle, let the lady rest, and I'll attend to this gentleman."

Merle hopped up with excitement, "Yessir." She tugged at Allen's sleeve as she begged, "Can I meet him too? Can I? Please?"

Merle's restless pleadings faded down the hallway, and once again Hitome was left to brood in her confusion and isolation.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Merle eyed the dark-haired boy warily. He had a baneful presence that silenced her instantly. He leaned against a large stone pillar languorously, his eyes downcast and his arms crossed over his chest. His frame suggested his age to be around 19, but his countenance indicated decades of a warrior's life.

He slowly tilted his head up. Merle met his frosty and emotionless glare. She was transfixed by the amber flame flickering inside the dark brown iris, so filled with gall. She shuddered, recoiling behind the bulk of Allen. The two men inspected each other warily. A moment of tense unease stretched between them.

"I am here to lead your army to attack Zaibach," the boy finally stated.

A look of surprise registered on Allen's face before he recomposed his expression. When the boy didn't elaborate Allen held up his hands in bewilderment. "To lead my army," he echoed. "Well, do tell me what great general presents himself so arrogantly before me," he demanded derisively.

The boy straightened his stance and enunciated each word forcibly, "I am Van Fanel, from the kingdom Fanelia. I returned from a ritual dragon hunt to find my kingdom in a heap of charred ashes. They left no survivors. Zaibach took something that belongs to me. I want it back."

"What is this 'thing' that you desire so greatly?" Allen queried.

"It does not matter."

Allen chuckled, "It does not matter? You want me to place Gaea's most powerful army in a youngster's control so you can regain some lost 'toy'? How can I justify the lives in jeopardy in return of some childish possession that you are too embarrassed to even tell me what it is?"

Van glared back adamantly, "If you don't attack Zaibach, they will attack you. Advance when you still have the element of surprise, before they perfect their strategy and leave you amidst bloodshed and death."

"What do you know about Zaibach?"

"Flying fortress."

"Invisible."

Van hesitated before affirming with a nod.

"How are you planning to find it?" Allen challenged.

"There are ways," uncertainty betrayed Van's disposition.

Allen detected his doubt and frowned with visible scorn. "Leave," he ordered, turning to affirm his dismissal.

Allen ushered a reluctant Merle ahead. Two colossal stone doors opened into a dark hallway winding through the fortress.A pair ofwinged dragons snaked their way across the giant canvas, as if warding off intruders.

Without warning, the heavy doors swung shut, the dragons' thick tongues entwined, securing the doors shut.

"Ow!" Merle exclaimed. A patch of fur on her forehead was clasped between the massive doors. She braced her forearms against the cool stone and tugged, resulting only in sharp pain. "Allen, help me, I'm stuck!"

Allen spun around quickly, "Telekinesis," he muttered, his eyes fixed on Van.

"Do not refuse me!" Van warned, tightening his fists. With that, the floor began to vibrate. A stone pillar was severed from the ceiling and tilted unsteadily. With a wave of Van's hand it flew swiftly at Allen. Allen was not disconcerted. He held up his right arm and braced against the attack with his own wave of telekinetic power.

The stone pillar stopped abruptly in its path, vibrating precariously in mid-air.

"You can use telekinesis?" Van questioned with bewilderment.

"You are one of the dragon clan… and I thought I was the last descendant," Allen pondered out loud.

"What's going on?" Merle squealed, trying to wriggle free. "I can't see! I can't see!" she screamed frantically.

Allen's heels dug into the concrete floor, he lifted his other arm in order to counter Van's attack. Van advanced slowly, beads of sweat forming on his sun-tanned forehead. The muscles on his arms tensed, his hard eyes fixated upon Allen. "I don't want to hurt anyone," Van cautioned, "I just want your compliance." Allen sensed desperation in his voice. Allen knew to take advantage of the slight disarray in Van's psyche. Allen's brow furrowed as he exerted a fresh wave of telekinetic blast. The pillar reversed towards Van, chunks of concrete crumbling apart in all directions.

Amidst the tense commotion, the heavy stone doors were inching apart. "AHHHHHH!" Merle tumbled backwards as the doors suddenly swung open. Her head wedged awkwardly between her legs, she spied a white-gowned figure glide into the hall. Merle gasped in horror as she glimpsed pieces of stone soaring fiercely towards the girl's frail frame.

At the same moment, Van raised his head to inspect the disturbance. His eyes settled upon Hitome's angelic but dazed façade. Instinctively, he focused his telekinetic field upon Hitome, preventing the jagged fragments from piercing her body. Van inhaled deeply, he was spellbound by what he thought was an angel arriving to retrieve his soul. He fell to his knees, trembling slightly, still maintaining a protective shield over her. Allen grasped his chance and heaved the stone pillar towards the awestruck Van. The pillar collapsed into Van's chest, knocking him backwards with tremendous force. Buried under its colossal weight, Van groaned softly and succumbed to unconsciousness.

Allen glanced at Hitome, her eyes wide with fright at the unfolding events. The stones hovered in mid air indecisively before dropping to a heap at her feet. Allen smiled wearily, "I should take you out to my battles," he joked dryly, "You seem to be quite the effective distraction."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Armored men rushed Van's limp body out of the hall. Allen stood amidst the rubble, his brow creased with fatigue. He spied Hitome quivering in one corner and approached her. "Are you okay?" he queried, placing two sturdy hands on her shoulders. Hitome mustered enough strength to nod slightly.

"I sensed… I sensed tremendous power and I wanted to see what was happening," Hitome explained. "I'm sorry," she said with lament, dropping her gaze.

"You don't have to apologize," Allen reassured her gently, "You're not a prisoner."

"Why did he attack you?"

Allen sighed. "Vengeance for his kingdom I suppose. His mind was filled with unnecessary rage and temerity. I do not trust him… I fear him," Allen confessed. He lifted Hitome's chin to meet his gaze, "Will you come with me?" Entranced by Allen's tender eyes, Hitome could only nod.

Allen chuckled, "Don't you want to know where?"

Hitome blushed, "I trust you."

"Let's take a trip to Illiad, see if anything can jog your memory. I need to report back to King Aston. Van may be hotheaded, but he is right. We can't wait like sitting ducks for Zaibach to pick us off," Allen explained with determination.

Hitome let herself be led by Allen towards the courtyard of the castle. Allen placed two fingers in his mouth and a piercing whistle resonated. Allen looked at Hitome with an expectant smile on his face. Hitome brushed the hair from her face as a large gust of wind disturbed the air around them. Hitome searched the sky for the source of the commotion and gasped as an enormous winged dragon landed playfully in front of her. Hitome looked at Allen for approval and ran her hand over the pure white scales of the ancient creature.

With graceful ease Allen hopped onto the dragon's back. The dragon snorted in reply. He reached out his hand to Hitome. When Hitome hesitated, Allen inquired, "Never seen one before?"

"I've seen them, in the wild, but I've never ridden one before. I was always told to avoid them."

"Why avoid such majestic creatures?" Allen whispered a command into the dragon's ear. The dragon bent its head and lowered its neck for Hitome. Gripping Allen's hand tightly, Hitome swung her leg over and squeezed her eyes tight. When she dared to open them once more, she was hundreds of feet above the sky, the Asturia fortress merely a miniature below them.

A delightful smile played across Hitome's lips as a cool breeze drifted across her face. Allen was pleased at the first sign of joy he spied upon her face.

"Have you ever flown before?" Allen asked her.

Hitome began to shake her head but the memory of the angel lifting her from the bloody and barren land below her manifested acutely in her mind. "Once," she confessed. A thought struck her and Hitome turned her face towards the heavenly knight seated protectively behind her. "Was it you who saved me? At the cliff?"

Allen studied her, perplexed. "No," he replied shortly.

"Oh."

"I found you sprawled in front of the castle doors, wet and bloodied. And my blood boiled at the thought that anyone would hurt someone so fragile and beautiful. But how you came to me I do not know, but I'm glad the heavens entrusted your well-being to my care, for I will make sure no hurt ever crosses you again." Allen's words were profuse with sweetness and sincerity; Hitome could conjure no fitting response.

The serene moment was snapped suddenly as a hideous sight pierced their eyes.

"Oh," Hitome's mouth was agape with shock as her kingdom, Illiad, approached quickly into view. Black smoke encircled the once blossoming country. The lifeless rubble emanated pain and sorrow. Dead bodies and weaponry were strewn across every inch of the charred land. Allen helped Hitome off the dragon and held her tightly.

"I didn't know it was…" Allen, a man of an effusive and fancy vocabulary, could find no words befitting this spectacle. "Would you like to leave?"

"No," Hitome decided firmly. She broke away from Allen and wandered towards the castle. "I want to help you. I want to keep this from happening to Asturia."

Hitome's eyes welled up at the ravaged palace. Decapitated and bloodied corpses littered the hallways. Flashbacks of raiders assaulting Illiad pulsed in her mind.

"Do you remember anything?" Allen approached her gently.

"Men, on dragonbacks, clad in black armour," Hitome described her memory. Allen nodded supportively and followed her deeper down the winding hallways.

Hitome remembered terrified shriekings of agony. She touched her fingers to the stonewalls and felt warmthn She drew her hand back in repulsion, her fingertips stained with blood. She exhaled shakily and forced her feet towards the main hall.

Hitome halted at the grand doors shielding the main hall. Something ominous bubbled beneath her mind, a memory so terrible that it clawed at her heart, leaving gaping wounds that screamed with anguish with every beat of her heart.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Allen told her, pulling her back gently.

"I need to," Hitome declared without hesitation, pushing open the doors.

Darkness enveloped the two as they crossed into a picturesque hell. The impenetrable walls had sealed in the shrieks of torture. They reverberated off the walls, causing Hitome to shrink into the supporting arms of Allen. A musty smell of blood and sweat enveloped them. "Do you sense it?" he whispered to Hitome.

"The fear? The pain?" Hitome shuddered. She stepped forth, entering the black cave. The resonating screams amplified, shocking Hitome in waves. She clasped her hands over her ears, but the screeches seemed to come from inside her mind. Memories of hands clawing at her flesh throbbed in her mind. She heard Allen call her name but he seemed so far away. She withdrew into her grief, falling forwards with sudden force. Her eyes snapped open when her head collided with the stone floor. Even in the darkness she could see the reflection of her own emerald eyes upon a piece of broken mirror. Believing it to be a clue to her suppressed past, she grasped it with her fingers, only to find five other fingers clenching the precious item in a death grip. She traced the lifeless hand with her gaze, finally resting on a melancholy head of dark black hair. Curious, Hitome impulsively reached out and brushed the sleek hair aside. A horrified cry lodged in her throat as Hitome recognized the face of her own mother. Her mouth agape with revulsion, Hitome passed into darkness.

When Hitome dared cross into consciousness, she was once again upon the back of the winged dragon, lodged tightly in Allen's arms.

"Are you okay?" Allen asked, an evident expression of deep concern etched upon his countenance. When Htiome could assemble no reply, Allen caressed her hand with his own. "You fainted, it took me so long to find you. I was so worried. I should never have taking you there, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was so terrible, to see such malice and brutality…. Maybe it's best if you just forget."

However Allen consoled her, Hitome could not recover from the distress of seeing her own dead mother. She clutched her fists tighter, attempting unsuccessfully to squeeze out the image. She felt warm liquid seep through her right hand. She opened her hand to find the mirror fragment pressing into her pale flesh, drawing fresh blood. She closed her fingers around it possessively, wanting to preserve the only shattered piece of her past.

"Faster!" Allen commanded the dragon, his tranquil exterior broken with alarm. Hitome looked in the direction of Allen's attention and saw Asturia ablaze with turmoil. It was being attacked.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Stay here," Allen instructed Hitome, guiding her gently into the concealment of a cave.

"But I want to go with you," Hitome protested.

Allen's expression softened, "I will come back for you, I promise." He gazed at Hitome benevolently. Then, almost impulsively, he brushed his lips against her forehead. Before Hitome could react, Allen was soaring away on the back of the white dragon.

The sounds of battle grew in intensity, and the caves shuddered with each strike of explosion. Hitome wrapped her arms around her legs and shuddered. Where could she go if Allen didn't come back? Hitome shook her head fervently, trying to disperse her doubts and fear.

Hitome's senses perked when she heard a scuffling in the bushes. Her heart pounding impatiently in her ears, she backed deeper into the cave, clawing at the walls, searching for a weapon.

The figure was fast approaching. Hitome crouched into a ball, shrinking into the darkness of the crevices. From her low vantage point, she could decipher two feet shuffling hastily towards her. Hitome stuck out her leg when she deemed appropriate, feeling a sharp pain when the creature collided with her calf and plummeted into the ground. Without tending to her sore leg, Hitome scurried up and hopped towards the exit.

"OW, OW, OW, OW, OW, OW," a high voice squeaked indignantly.

Amidst her flight, Hitome couldn't help but turn at the familiarity of the voice.

"I have never had so many injuries until I met you," Merle glanced up from her sprawled position with a scowl.

"Merle?"

"Allen sent me to keep you company, not my choice really," Merle picked herself up painfully.

"How's Allen…" Hitome was at a loss for words to finish the question.

Merle rolled her eyes, adopting the tone of an impatient babysitter to a quizzical three year old, "They're fighting a war against an invisible enemy. We're getting picked off like flies."

Merle dusted herself clean. Sliding past Hitome haughtily, she wandered out of the cave.

"Where are you going?" Hitome followed.

"Going to see what's happening," Merle replied absently. She motioned for Hitome to be silent as she mounted the top of the cave and began a tiring upwards climb.

Hitome studied the dauntingly steep slope with unease. But she hoisted her dress up and followed Merle clumsily. Merle was crouched eagerly at a ledge that jutted a few inches from the side. Her cat ears twittered as she attempted to pick up sounds of the battle. "Ooh," she winced as a distant explosion was heard.

Hitome pressed her body against the slope. Her fingers were ghastly white from grasping so tightly the rocky crevices. With one last heave she finally raised her head over the crest of the rocky hill and perused the chaotic scene. Her eyes widened with indescribable terror. A smog of angry black smoke circled the once beautiful country, choking everything living. Even from Hitome's safe vantage point, she could feel the pain and the fear of the despairing people as they ran blindly from the jaws of death only to be pinned under its relentless claws.

Unspeakable fear gripped her heart as Hitome's senses picked up a mysterious dark energy. It was a feeling she experienced before. It was such a throbbing terror that her mind had buried it under unrecoverable heaps of forgotten memories. She held her breath as she searched the sky for something to trigger her recollection. A blurry mass, so blurred it was doubtful if it even existed swam at the corner of her vision. Yet, every time she snapped her head to locate it, it spun out of existence. Hitome understood it was not meant to be seen, not with human eyes. Reluctantly, she slid her lids shut, allowing her mind to perceive the source of the tremendous power.

The image of the dark floating castle materialized vividly in her mind. She felt she could almost reach out and touch it. "Invisible fortress… I can feel it. Merle, I can feel it!"

"Feel what?" Merle asked, distractedly.

"The fortress. Zaibach…"

Merle frowned incredulously. "You deluded girl, how would you—" but Hitome had already sprinted past the outreaching hand of the catgirl. "Where are you going?" Merle stood up, her conscience struggling with her indifference. "Stupid girl," she finally muttered, plopping herself back down.

Tumbling into chaos in the Austuria castle, Hitome grabbed a panic-stricken soldier with urgency. "Where's Allen? I need to see Allen. Tell me where he is?" Hitome trusted that if she alerted Allen of the position of the fortress, he could save them all.

The soldier glanced at her blankly, uttering incoherent thoughts.

"WHERE'S ALLEN? SHEZAR?" Hitome screamed.

A bomb exploded twenty or so feet away. The blast was so strong that it shook Hitome's heart into halt for a split second. She wrapped her fingers around her ears. The soldier pushed her past him and ran away uselessly.

There were soldiers combating everywhere around her, too busy to notice a fragile girl clawing her way towards the castle. She shouted Allen's name futilely, no one paid any attention.

_I have to tell him,_ she told herself. An arrow whizzed past her head to burrow its way deeply into the wall next to her. Hitome swung her head around to see a congregation of Zaibach soldiers pointing at her with delicious malice. She could not make out their words, but knew they were seeking to harm her. She ran down a deserted corridor, sprinting for her life.

Realizing she could not outrun the trained soldiers, Hitome slid into a side panel. She slammed the heavy door shut behind her, sealing the heavy lock. She hugged the wall tightly, fearing even the sound of her breathing would give away her position. Convulsing terribly, she inched away from the entrance. The room was pitch dark. In her shaken state of mind she could not decide whether to crouch down and wait for her fate or to grope her way out of this darkness. Neither choice was appealing.

A sharp pain jabbed into her ribs when she collided with a corner of a solid steel table. She paused to allow the pain to dissipate. Mustering courage, she gripped the sides of the table and resumed to inching her way around.

"Ah-" she bit her tongue to choke the scream from her throat. Her hand had touched something cold and fleshy. _A dead body?_ Tears stung her eyes from the surprising stab of fear. She stood frozen, compelled by curiosity, but detained by dread.

"Check in here!" a voice shouted from the other side of the vaulted door. The soldiers had discovered her temporary place of refuge.

Hitome instinctively turned to flee from the imminent danger. The door shook under the effort of the soldier's bodies. Amidst the throng of panic pulsing in her mind, Hitome stopped dead…_Thump_…

She turned her head slowly, tracing the source. It was a faint heartbeat, but Hitome felt it as if it were her own.

Thump… 

_He's alive_, Hitome thought. Without pausing to deliberate her decision, she hoisted the body off the pedestal. Panting with effort and urgency, Hitome dragged the heavy boy behind her, groping for an exit.

A steel handle pressed against her fingers. Letting a sigh of relief escape, she pulled it open. Awkwardly, Hitome maneuvered the immobile body through the opening. Hoisting the body half on her back and half dragging behind her, she advanced. Without warning, her foot slid into empty space. Unable to regain balance, the weight of her and the unconscious body on her back threw her down a long flight of stairs.

Crumpled at the foot of the stairs, Hitome groaned with pain. The door above them swung open. Hitome gulped, suppressing the stab of pain shooting up her body as she lifted the body and proceeded down the next flight of steps.

She knew she could never outrun them, but she stubbornly banished that thought from her mind. She reached a hallway lighted dimly with torches. The body still lagging laboriously behind her, she inched away from the fast approaching shouts and footsteps. Rounding a corner she stopped short at the sight of more black armoured soldiers of Zaibach, tearing through a few dozen battered soldiers of Austuria. She dropped the burden of the body, searching her mind for a way out. She turned her head to consider turning back, just in time to see an arrow flying surely towards her unprotected body. She closed her eyes in preparation for death. When nothing happened, she opened one eye fearfully. A hand had shot up from the ground and snatched the arrow in midair. Hitome looked with bewilderment at the outstretched hand of the body she had been carrying. The boy climbed up with surprising agility, pulling her roughly after him. He pushed a panel in the wall and the bricks slid silently open. Stepping through he turned back to look at Hitome.

Hitome stood unsurely, still amazed at the awakening of the boy. He held out his hand to her. Hitome reached for it and followed him blindly into suffocating darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

_It's been sooo long! I'm really overwhelmed with my coursework and university applications. But I had the time to polish up the beginning of chapter 5. I just wanted to get some feedback on the relationship I'm developing between Hitomi and Van before I continue. I have a really good idea of where I want to go with this, and I hope I can make faster progress. I may make a few changes to chapter 5, but I'm very excited to get what I have so far up, especially since I've made you guys wait so long. thank you for all your reviews and I hope you enjoy this little bit. I will try and get the rest up by the end of the week :)_

Chapter 5

Hitomi lurched forwards as the stone walls sealed shut behind her. The boy had pulled her too hard and she collapsed into his body. For a second she felt his brawny arms wrap tightly around her. She couldn't understand why this stranger could offer such a sense of security. But if the walls of the castle came tumbling down around her, she believed she'd feel nothing except the soft beat of his heart.

The moment ended abruptly as the boy pushed her away. Without a word he turned and sprinted down the dark corridors. Hitomi followed him blindly, her hand grasping unsurely the walls of the passageway. A realization suddenly stole over her and she pressed her heels to the ground. Why is she following this boy? She had no clue who he was. She searched her brain for a clue to his identity. A distant memory of Allen alluding to some Prince of Fanelia echoed faintly in her memory. Allen expressed wariness towards this boy, and Hitomi feared he might be leading her to sure death.

"Are you coming?" the boy called back gruffly.

Alarmed at the first words he spoke to her, Hitomi stood frozen to the ground. Suddenly the boy appeared in front of her. His brown eyes scanned her curiously. Hitomi squirmed under his scrutinizing gaze and proceeded to step backwards. Her heel caught on a piece of uneven ground and she tumbled unsteadily towards the earth.

"Hah," the boy scoffed condescendingly as Hitomi's bottom collided with the cold hard floor.

Hitomi's face grew hot. With as much dignity as she could muster, she drew her dress over her crossed knees and sat unmoving.

"What are you doing?" the boy queried flatly.

"I'm perfectly comfortable right here, please continue with your way."

"Suit yourself," the boy placed both hands behind his head nonchalantly and walked backwards from Hitomi. "But you see these walls?" he tapped the stone walls gently, "they'll come crashing down in a few minutes. It's too bad, I guess no one will be seeing your pretty little face again."

Hitomi was unsure whether to believe the boy or not. In the few minutes that she knew him, she was already vexed by his arrogant attitude. A distant shaking shook her out of her deliberation. Shoving her pride aside, Hitomi scurried up and groped after his shadow.

"So you've decided to follow me," the boy glanced back, his haughtiness etched in his smile.

"Hah," Hitomi grunted, "I'm merely going in the same direction as you are. Who said anything about following?"

At Hitomi's words, the boy stopped short.

"What?" Hitomi urged.

"Go on without me then, if you're so sure of where you're going."

Hitomi frowned, infuriated. She trudged forwards, purposely shouldering him as she passed.

The corridor grew darker and darker. Hitomi gripped the walls angrily. Without the boy leading the way, it was much harder to find her footing. She couldn't help stealing backwards glances. Spying his tall figure provided her with more assurance then she would ever care to admit. In such a cold and dark place, she'd rather be trapped with the boy's overbearing ego then be completely alone. She's had enough of utter loneliness.

"Would you stop staring at me? It's unnerving," the boy snapped.

"I'm just wondering if you are keeping up," Hitomi answered coldly.

"Keeping up? At your pace you are going to get us both killed. I have never met anyone so stubborn and dense. What a bad combination." He shook his head patronizingly. Surpassing Hitomi's unsure steps, he quickly overtook her. Reaching out to grab her elbow roughly, he dragged her behind.

"Ow!" Hitomi felt her blood boil. "Let go of me. I don't want your help."

"Well I don't want to help you. But here we are," the boy merely tightened his grip. "I didn't hear you complaining when I stopped that arrow."

Hitomi opened her mouth to retort, but clamped it shut, admitting defeat. A few awkward minutes later, Hitomi finally acknowledged, "How lucky for me that you woke in time to derail that arrow."

"Wrong. I was never asleep."

Hitomi paused to process his statement. But the boy tugged impatiently and Hitomi quickened her pace. "You mean you were awake the whole time?"

The boy, his smugness apparent, nodded.

Hitomi shook his arm off indignantly. "You made me lug you down two flights of stairs while you were perfectly capable of dragging your own pompous ass out of there?" she shrieked, close to hysteria.

He scorned, "I suppose you want me to thank you for dropping me headfirst down those stairs."

"Well, I hope it hurt. I hope it really hurt. I should have left you there. That's the last time I help out some stranger. Ugh," Hitomi shook her head spitefully. "Wasted all that energy, almost died, for some egotistical little boy—"

"Hey! Watch who you're talking to," Van reprimanded, breaking into a jog.

"And who am I talking to?" Hitomi mocked, "Prince of Fanelia? Is that what you claim to be? Well you're nothing compared to Allen Shezar, knight of Austuria. Where's this Fanelia you allegedly defend? You're nothing but a spoiled kid who is prince of NOTHING."

For once Van was silent. "You're right. There is nothing left. I couldn't save Fanelia. I'm not the Prince of Fanelia… I guess I am just Van now."

Hitomi was taken back. _Van_… Hitomi mouthed. A pang of guilt nagged at her mind. He was just like her -- another sole survivor of a destroyed country.


End file.
